The present invention relates to a support apparatus. The support apparatus is particularly suitable for supporting an awning or the like. The present invention also relates to an awning.
The use of awnings to provide shade around building structures is common place, Awnings, however, take up considerable space and it is not always desirable for shade to be provided such as in cooler seasons or where the permanent provision of shade may inhibit the growth of grass.
Indeed, it is not always practical for a conventional awning to be provided where space is limited and in those circumstances where the provision of a fixed conventional awning would not be suitable as it would look out of place.
Clothes lines with retractable tendons to which clothes are pegged in use to facilitate the drying of the clothes are also well known. Clothes lines of this type are also generally used in situations were only limited space is available.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a support apparatus for supporting an awning or the like comprising a plurality of inner members, said plurality of inner members including a plurality of generally vertically extending members, each inner member being pivotally connected to an adjacent inner member, a plurality of outwardly extending support members extending outwardly from the generally vertically extending members and a plurality of braces, each brace extending from a generally vertically extending member to an outwardly extending support member associated with the generally vertically extending support member.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a support apparatus for supporting an awning or the like comprising a first set of inner members, each of the inner members being pivotally connected to adjacent inner members of the first set, a second set of inner members, each of the inner members of the second set being pivotally connected to adjacent inner members of the second set, outwardly extending support members extending outwardly from the inner members of the first set, outwardly extending support members extending outwardly from the inner members of the second set, each set of inner members being connected to a stationary structure, each set of inner members being movable from an open position in which the plurality of inner members are in generally arcuate alignment to a retracted position in which the inner members are in generally linear alignment, wherein in the open position each set of inner members extends such that the end inner member of one set that is located away from the fixed end inner member of that set becomes positioned and adjacent to or in abutment with the corresponding inner member of the other set such that the respective support members associated with the end inner members of each set are in abutment with each other or are positioned adjacent to each other, the apparatus further comprising releasable fixing means to join the respective end inner members or end support members of each set to each other to thereby hold the support apparatus in the open position.
Preferably, the support apparatus further comprises a plurality of outwardly extending support members. Preferably, each of the inner members has a support member extending outwardly therefrom. The support members may be integrally formed with the inner members. Alternatively, the support members may be connected to the inner members. Preferably, the support members are pivotally connected to the inner members.
Each inner member is preferably pivotally connected to an immediately adjacent inner member. If an inner member has immediately adjacent inner members positioned on either side thereof, it is pivotally connected to both of the immediately adjacent inner members.
The inner members are preferably pivotally connected to other inner members by use of pivot pins that pass through aligned holes in the immediately adjacent inner members.
When the apparatus of the present invention is in the retracted position, the generally outwardly extending support members lie close to or adjacent others of the support members. When moved to the open position, the support members fan out such that the distal ends of the support members are spaced from each other. In the open position, the support members therefore extend out over a much larger area than when in the retracted position.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a support apparatus for an awning or the like comprising a plurality of inner members being pivotally connected to at least one other of the inner members and a plurality of support members extending generally outwardly from the inner members, said support apparatus being able to be moved from a retracted position in which the support members lie close to or adjacent other of the support members to an open position in which distal ends of the support members are spaced from each other.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides apparatus comprising at least one support structure incorporating a hub and a number of support members that extend from and are secured at one end to the hub. The hub has a plurality of inner members connected together in a side by side relationship.
Immediately adjacent ones of the inner members are pivotable relative to one another about an axis of rotation respectively, thereby enabling the support members to be swung about a common axis in a first direction to be spaced apart from each other and in an opposite second direction to be nested together. Preferably, the axes of rotation and the common axis are substantially parallel.
Generally, the hub will further comprise one or more pivot pins located between the immediately adjacent ones of the inner members and about which the inner members are pivotable to enable the support members to be spaced apart or nested together.
As the inner members of the support structure are connected together, the apparatus has a relatively high degree of stability in use. Such an arrangement also ensures controlled movement of the support members as they are swung about the hub leading to enhanced operation and handling of the apparatus.
Moreover, the apparatus is able to be retracted to a relatively compact state for use in those areas where space is limited or where it is not desirable to have the apparatus permanently extended.
The apparatus may be an awning in which case the support members will generally support a foldable cover for providing shade when the support members are distanced apart from each other. Alternatively, the apparatus may be, for instance, a clothes line. In this instance, the support members will typically support a plurality of tendons to which clothes can be pegged in use and which extend from support member to support member in the same manner as the tendons of conventionally known clothes lines.
In all aspects of the present invention, it is preferred that the support members lie in essentially the same plane.
In some embodiments of the present invention, each inner member comprises a generally vertically extending member pivotally connected to an immediately adjacent inner member such that they, can pivot relative to each other about a vertical axis. A support member extends from an upper part of each inner member and the support member may be braced by a brace member extending from a lower part of the inner member and being connected to the support member. The support apparatus may be fixed to a stationary structure, such as a wall or a pole, by connecting an end one of the plurality of inner members to the stationary structure.
The support apparatus may comprise two sets of inner members, each set of inner members being connected to the stationary structure. In the open position, each set of inner members extends such that the end inner member of each set that is located away from the fixed end inner members of each set become positioned adjacent to or in abutment with the corresponding end inner member of the other set. This results in the respective support members associated with the end inner members of each set coming into abutment with each other or being positioned adjacent to each other. These end support members of each set can then be releasably fixed to each other, for example, by a magnetic catch or other suitable means, to thereby hold the support apparatus in the open position. To move the support apparatus to the retracted position, the releasably fixing means is released and each set of inner members and associated support members moved to the retracted position.
The present invention also encompasses an awning or the like including a support apparatus as described herein. The awning or the like may include one support apparatus, or a plurality of support apparatus. It will be appreciated that the plurality of support apparatus may each comprise a set of inner members and associated support members.